#disaster resiliency

[bdking71]

The Silent Collapse: Why Your Digital Lifeline Will Fail When You Need It Most

1,391 words, 7 minutes read time. The modern communication grid is a fragile house of cards. We live in an era of hyper-connectivity, yet our ability to coordinate in a crisis has never been more unstable. For decades, we traded the slow, ugly, but undeniably resilient copper-wire networks of the past for the sleek, high-bandwidth digital infrastructure we use today. We were sold the promise of…

The Silent Collapse: Why Your Digital Lifeline Will Fail When You Need It Most

[stormsurgefilm]

GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE & TSUNAMI REMEMBRANCE EVENT 

GREAT EAST JAPAN EARTHQUAKE & TSUNAMI REMEMBRANCE EVENT 

SEATTLE, WA – Tuesday, March 11th, 2014, marks the third anniversary of the magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit the Tohoku region of Japan producing a massive tsunami that killed an estimated 18,000 people, caused $122B dollars of damage, and led to the eventual meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The environmental, social, and economic impacts of this historic…

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[bec-blog]

The Concept of Resiliency

Scott Carlson discusses the emerging concepts of "resilience" in a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (http://chronicle.com/article/After-Catastrophe/138927/). As noted in the article, "resilience" is rooted in ecological studies and refers to the ability of a system to recover critical operations after an extreme events - but not necessarily to return to a previous state.

I would add that a critically important part of resiliency is adapting to constantly changing conditions under both normal and extreme conditions. Sustainability complements resiliency; sustainability can be seen as the prudent use of resources that lowers the baseload during normal conditions and thereby reduces the amount of resources needed during and recovered after extreme events. Investments in resiliency can bolster sustainability through improving the quality of life for all people in viable, just communities with ample economic opportunity and vibrant natural systems.

[bec-blog]

Natural environments for climate change adaptation

A recent study from Oregon State University and the US Forest Service looks at storm water flows down different types of stream beds, and concludes that climate change impacts will differ significantly, depending on the specific characteristics of the waterways. (http://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/study-finds-climate-change-impact-on-stream-flow-differs-according/article_d75c3604-7a06-11e2-bec9-001a4bcf887a.html)

A new article in the Solutions Journal looks at the economic benefits of restoring natural systems instead of built facilities to cope with extreme conditions (http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/1241). It cites several recent cases of "green" solution with proven performance - and less expense - than engineered solutions.

[bec-blog]

Environmental Leader article on proposed shoreline changes by a panel appointed after Hurricane Sandy. Suggestions include green infrastructure (oyster beds, wetlands), protection of critical infrastructure (water, wastewater treatment, oil and gas tanks), and decentralized energy production.

[bec-blog]

Interview with Eric Klinenberg, author of "Adaptation" article in recent New Yorker magazine about how friendly neighbors can keep each other safe in extreme conditions.

[stormsurgefilm]

Is seeking an Investor/Executive Producer to help secure financing for production, post-production, marketing and distribution of the documentary film STORM SURGE.

STORM SURGE is a feature length documentary about climate adaptation, self-reliance, and citizen action.

STORM SURGE peeks into the personal lives of ordinary people who take extraordinary actions to help their communities survive and thrive in the aftermath of major natural and technological disasters.

From super tornadoes to the lingering impacts of hurricanes, floods and oil spills, millions of people throughout America have been affected by large-scale natural and technological disasters. 

STORM SURGE follows the lives of a mayor, a family of social media mavens, a musician and master carpenter, a scientist, and a community activist as they work to rebuild their respective communities in the wake of historic national catastrophes.

Individually these unsung role models embody the values of altruistic leadership, dedicated community service and determined action. 

Collectively they demonstrate how to successfully cope with tragedy, while moving forward with life and building toward a just, sustainable, and equitable future. 

A Film Treatment, Business Plan and Top Sheet are available upon request.